Background and objective: To compare the spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) features of acute central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) versus exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and explore disease-specific features of each disease.
Patients and methods: SD-OCT images obtained at the time of diagnosis in 39 eyes with acute CSC (symptom onset < 2 months) and 52 eyes with exudative AMD were compared. Multiple regression analysis was performed to identify disease-specific features. The relationship between anatomical findings and visual function was also assessed.
Results: There were significant morphologic differences on SD-OCT between the two diseases, including the presence and height of retinal fluid and morphologic changes of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Multiple regression analysis revealed that a reflective band with posterior shadowing was a disease-specific finding indicating exudative AMD; however, other SD-OCT findings were attributed to differences in age of onset between the two diseases. Visual acuity was correlated with subretinal fluid in CSC, whereas pigment epithelial detachment, intraretinal fluid, and diverse RPE morphologic abnormalities were associated with visual decline in exudative AMD.
Conclusion: A reflective band with posterior shadowing is a disease-specific feature of exudative AMD that may be useful for the differential diagnosis. High-resolution SD-OCT images of the retinal layers identified distinguishing pathologic features of the outer retina between the two diseases. The OCT features associated with visual function were different between the two diseases.
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